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Job Title:   Immunization Officer (Ebola and mpox vaccination) (Fresher UN Jobs)

Organisation: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

Duty Station:  Kampala, Uganda

About the Company:

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is mandated by the UN general assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

Job Summary:  This Immunization Officer reports to the EPI Specialist for guidance and supervision and works closely with the Public Health Emergency Specialist. S/He is responsible to support the Ministry of Health and partners and coordinate internally within UNICEF to:

• Improve Vaccination Program Design: Enhance program planning, implementation, and monitoring to ensure effective and efficient vaccination delivery based on agreed strategies and micro-plans.
• Enhance Capacity and Capability: Build local capacity for vaccination program management, data collection, and analysis.
• Mitigate Risks: Identify, assess, and mitigate logistical, operational, and reputational risks associated with Mpox and Ebola vaccination programs.
• Foster Stakeholder Engagement: Facilitate effective communication, collaboration, and coordination among stakeholders.
• Inform Data-Driven Decision Making: Provide expertise in data collection, analysis, and interpretation to optimize program performance.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Improve vaccination program design:

• Assess the epidemiological context in Uganda to identify target populations and high-risk areas
• Support UNEPI develop targeted vaccination strategies for Mpox/Ebola including prioritization frameworks and delivery mechanisms suitable for Uganda.
• Advise UNEPI on vaccine selection and logistics plans for vaccine procurement, storage, transportation, and distribution.
• Collaborate closely with the National Medical Stores (NMS), UNEPI, and targeted districts to maintain accurate and up-to-date stock management records and provide regular progress reports.
• Support the development, revision and dissemination of monitoring tools for tracking vaccine coverage, wastage, adverse events following immunization (AEFI), community feedback and program effectiveness.

Enhance capacity and capability:

• Assist MoH, UNICEF and other partners in the design an execution of communication strategies to improve vaccine acceptance among Uganda’s communities.
• Support the development and dissemination of technical guidelines, SOPs, and job aids for field teams.
• Support MoH, UNEPI, NMS, and other key partners to support the DHTs in developing detailed vaccine micro-plans for affected districts.
• Support the planning of training sessions for healthcare workers, field staff, and community leaders on vaccination protocols, cold chain management, and community engagement

Mitigate Risks:

• Support the maintenance of a vaccination program risk register, escalating perceived risks and their mitigations in a timely manner to senior management.

Foster Stakeholder Engagement:

• Organize and participate in regular coordination meetings, TWGs, and advisory committees with stakeholders and partners to ensure coordinated efforts on Mpox/Ebola control and prevention.
• Support stakeholder consultations to identify communication gaps and community perceptions of Mpox/Eboa vaccination.

Inform data-driven decision making:

• Support donor reporting.
• Support data systems, reporting, visibility and data for decision making through supporting and maintaining the establishment of national dashboards and other tools

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:  To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Education: Required bachelor’s degree in public health, epidemiology, medicine or another relevant field.

Work Experience:

• Two years of relevant professional work experience at the national and/or international levels in vaccination strategy development and implementation including SIAs and ring vaccination strategies.
• Proven experience working with creation of standard operating procedures covering all aspects of vaccine introduction.
• Proven experience working with national ministries of health and EPI departments.
• Experience working with and coordinating diverse stakeholders including UN organizations, government line departments (national and subnational), international and local NGOs in Uganda or similar settings.

Skills:

• Excellent facilitation skills, negotiation skills and oral and written communication skills.
• Computer skills include MS Office and qualitative and quantitative analytical skills.
• Knowledge of the Uganda context is an added advantage.
• Language Requirements: Working proficiency in English

Desirables:

• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.
• Training/experience in emergency response management highly desirable.
• Experience in new vaccine introduction preferred.
• Familiarity with Mpox or other zoonotic diseases is an asset.
• For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified and interested applicants who wish to join United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) should apply online at the link below

Click Here

Deadline: 11th March 2025

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